Movement

Not an old fogey yet!

R. & I rarely go out to somewhere new. I’m not sure why. I guess we’re heading toward that middle age, settle down, settle in sort of lifestyle. And sometimes that worries me. That we’re getting to staid. I don’t want to become a boring old couple who just sits at home watching the Lost episodes on DVD and ordering take-away from the same old Chinese restaurant. So for Valentine’s Day I gave R. a different sort of pressie…a gift certificate from Vinopolis. I got him the special package through Lastminute.com. The Valentine’s package not only included the tour, ‘how to taste wine’, five wine tastings and the Bombay Saphire Experience…but also two premium wine tastings…for each person. It was bril! I tasted both white & red, from all over the world. Even had a great sip or two of some yummy pink champagne at the end. And I must say that the Cinnamon Saphire was really good. I’m not a gin person and this may have changed my mind…cinnamon, apple, gin…it’s a good combo! Needless to say we both left a bit pissed and ready for dinner. R. decided that I needed to experience the steaks of the Gaucho Grill. And he was right. I had an amazing steak (ribeye) with a great side-dish of tasty spinach. The Argentines know what they are doing.

We finally got home some time after midnight…full of food and wine (cause of course we had a bottle at the Grill)…and ready to wake up just a few hours later, cause I had to be at the hockey club at 8am. Sigh…the next morning was not fun (yup, getting old!) but oh, it was so worth it…I’m not an old fogey yet!!!

Champions!

We had won 6-0 (even though the other team put that we only won 5-0…idiots). It was an easy game and in the goal I had touched the ball about 3 times (other than when it went out & I gathered it for our team). As it was an away game and I was in a car that needed to get back early, I didn’t hang with the team. Cut to a few hours later…ding,ding,ding. My mobile phone had a text. It was from a teammate. Turns out that the team below us had lost their game this week. We had 31 points, they had 20…there are only 3 games left…you can only get 3 pts per game. Adding it up that means that WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! How cool is that? Means we get medals, can brag about how awesome we are and next year we’ll probably end up getting killed in the premier league as we’ll be the only team being promoted there. But it’ll be so worth it. Can’t wait for the end of season party…it’s gonna be wicked!

And so Mary said…

“Hey Mary, y’allright?”
“Doin’ well thank you”
“I need more gel over here!”
“Bridgie…you’re looking tired. How’s the baby treatin’ ya?”
“Ohhh…she keeps me up all night long. You know how they are.”
“Say hi to Matt when you see him next”
“Okay…whose colour is this? It’s not mine and it’s just sittin’ here.”
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrwhoooshhh

When I first moved to London I was concerned about finding a good place to get my hair done. I have curly hair which, as you might know, is easy to take care of more often than not, but tough to get a good cut. I also colour my hair and some people just don’t get it. So I did a major search for a place. I started out a this fancy (and mighty expensive) salon on an exclusive high street. While the guys were lovely they just didn’t want to do what I wanted them to do. They knew what was best. And then one of them started to hit on me (yes, the boys over here who cut hair are straight quite often!). So I left. Then I tried a few more places. All still quite expensive and not quite right. I just didn’t like the ‘feeling’ of the place. Then a hockey mate with curly locks told me about a salon that she travels to even though she’s moved quite a distance away. And they are inexpensive. So I tried it. And I love it! The woman who cuts my hair has curls and so she understands the way they work. And if I want to try something new with my colour (like the red highlights of yesterday), she listens and makes suggestions but ultimately lets me make up my mind. And it’s VERY inexpensive. But what makes it even better - it’s a place where people have been going for years. It’s like a small family. People come in to talk about their challenges and their successes. They know each other’s names. It’s like the Cheers of hairdressing. A small town place in the big city of London. And I like it.
“Hailey - this is a shout out to you! Keep my hair lookin’ good babe! And your kids are so cute!”

Hand over your money or else!

Last night was fun. I met up with some of the ladies cricket team for a committee meeting. We’re heading toward actually getting into the league (hopefully after this season) and so we need to be a bit more organized. So of course, being in England, we met in the pub. There were five other women and our fearless male leader (who is married to a British film star & a great actor in his own right - isn’t that cool?). We drank, discussed what we need to do and assigned ourselves to a variety of roles. It was decided that none of us would have special names, like Chair or Treasurer…but we’d have those roles anyway. So two will be in charge of the social aspect (wouldn’t be fun without that!), a few in charge of kit & shirts, one in charge of our website, one in charge of the fixtures and then myself, the money gatherer. I will be in charge of getting people’s membership fee for the summer (a measly £40!!), subs during games (probably £5) and our weekly practice fee (only £1). It’s much cheaper than field hockey which has a weekly game sub of £7 and a MUCH higher membership fee. So hopefully people will be fine with paying this amount. I will gather the money (okay, threaten people into handing it over) and then we’ll be able to buy cool equipment and wine during our end of season dinner! I think the best part of the evening was just to be able to hang out with this group of women. They are all so lovely. While I’m not as much a ‘part’ of the group, they do try to bring me in and I appreciate it. Reminds me that I can’t hide so much in my relationship and that I need to try to be more social. I miss girlfriends and this gang is a group I enjoy. So…here’s to more Saturday nights with the social group. Gotta start doing it!

Oh so bad

It creeps up on you. It’s very quiet and usually doesn’t come blaring out at you. But it’s there. And the funny thing is that you want it to happen when you are younger, but as you get older you pray that it stops. Yup. Age.

I do have to admit that I am lucky. I look ‘good’ for my age. I have hardly a wrinkle, my very grey hair is easily coverable and I am still able to play sports. But little things have been creeping in as of late as well as small reminders in the news and all. That small wrinkle at the corner of my eye that doesn’t ’shrink’ when I put my eye cream on it…like it used to. The grey hairs not only popping out in numbers I can pluck but in numbers that others can see. And most of all…feeling it more in my legs as I try to play field hockey goalie for a really good British team. I used to be able to throw myself around without a doubt. I could stretch to make saves without a twinge. But last night I tried that and failed. I hurt. And not in the muscles are growing ‘good’ way. It’s time to take stock - I am playing with 20-somethings and I need to stretch more, warm up more than any of them. And I sometimes forget. But those little things bring me back to the reality that I am not 27…I’m 37. Sigh. I don’t want to stay young and I don’t begrudge the wrinkles or grey hair…but I’d love to be able to play my favorite sport without pain. But I don’t think it’ll happen any longer. And perhaps, in the not so distant future, I’ll have to step down from my team, admitting I am getting too old to play at that level.

Getting older…why did we want it so badly?

Owwy!

Pain. No one really likes it. But somehow in so many ways we put ourselves in the way of pain. And for ‘good’ reasons…like working out and getting fit. I decided when I signed up for my new gym to get a few personal training sessions. I hadn’t been pushing myself at all to workout hard and had lost a lot of fitness in the 1-1/2 years since I moved here. So I met up with my trainer, Kevin, yesterday. I had been sick the week before & not worked out really since…boy did it show! I tried to push myself but I just couldn’t do a few things I had excelled at only a year earlier. How pathetic!! And now, a day later, I’m in pain. Major pain. I can deal with it after having a been an athlete for years and I tend to have a decent pain tolerance…but I haven’t felt like this in YEARS! R. tried to rub my back and I almost cried…even just having my muscles touched hurts. Now this is a good thing as it means that I did push myself and my muscles are rebuilding to become stronger…but jeez! So I now have to keep pushing myself to stay on course. Seeing Kevin again in a few weeks will help. I really would like not to feel like this again! Perhaps it’s time to follow another English tradition and take a nice long bath with a cuppa…yup, that’s the way.

It’s an Energy Thing

I rarely make my way into central London. I think it’s cause my bf’s social sphere tends to hang in West Hampstead or Hampstead as does mine. But it’s good to get downtown, if only for shopping and sight seeing. I went in last night and was just struck again by how cool the city looks at night. The statue of Eros lit up by the lights of the advertisements of Picadilly Circus is quite the image and the streets are amazing (if you get into that sort of thing). I love the energy that I find there and always wonder why I don’t spend more time in central London. And happily I’ll be there again today and this weekend…gotta love vacation time!

My Fictional World

My dad is a school counselor at a boarding school in the States. He has been at the same school since he began so I think he’s now into year 39 or so…amazing! And in that time he’s been the Dean of Students (not a good job for him), a biology teacher (fun but not quite right) and his current position of counselor/psychology teacher (perfect for him).

Because of his job, I spent the first seven years of my life living at the school. It’s a great life for a little kid. The campus was entirely safe so my little gang of fac brats could roam about. We were like a little band of Robin Hood’s followers…I wouldn’t have messed with us. And I was one of the few girls. I don’t know what was happening at this school but everyone seemed to have boys! And so I became a pseudo boy. It was easy as I had short curly hair, was a sporty little thing and so climbing trees & running around was awesome. I got to ride my tricycle up and down the long hallways of the dorm, I had gobs of older boys and girls who would smile, pick me up and want to play. Yes, it was childhood wonderland.

And then we moved. I was promised a dog if I would put up with this move to the ‘country’. And off we went, just a few miles away, but it felt like a completely different world. There were no sidewalks, no other children living nearby and mom began to actually work (so they could afford the mortgage). All of a sudden I had to find ‘fun’ on my own. I see this point of my life as the reason I started to look within. I became a much more withdrawn person, less fun and outgoing…because I had to. I spent more time on my own (cause my little brother was a pain in the butt), started reading like a fiend and had a wonderful fictionary world (will have to tell stories about this another time). I became quite shy. Which was a shame as I was such an outgoing child. I also became quite the listener and someone who could sit in quiet. I think it led to me wanting to eventually become a therapist (yes, just like dad). So while there’s been some challenges that have come from this experience, I’ve also gotten quite a lot from it as well.

Celebrate Love!

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone…

Back, oh so many years ago, after my engagement broke off, I remember just not liking Valentine’s Day. I knew my ex was dating someone (he cheated while we were still together) and I wasn’t. I thought Valentine’s Day was only for those who were coupled. But a few years later (after having guys break things off JUST before V Day), I decided that Valentine’s Day was a day to take care of yourself and remind yourself of the love you do have in your life. And I’m lucky. I have two sets of parents who think I am wonderful. I have a brother and a sister-in-law who would drop everything for me. And I have friends who I’ve kept throughout the years, including my best friend, J., who has known me for almost 30 years! I have always had a life full of love and that is worth celebrating. So for the past few years, even if I am coupled or not, I do something nice for myself. One year I even bought myself a really cool ring. And this year I’ll be getting a manicure & pedicure…ahh, the luxury!

So - single, coupled or whatever…take the day to celebrate the love in your life!

Ahead of Myself

Poor R. Last night I decided to let him know that I already had begun to look at what we could do in terms of an integrated Hindu-Christian wedding. It’s actually kinda cool what we could do…

Here’s what I found: http://aprendizdetodo.com/wedding/

And I’ve even found recordings of all the chanting that one is supposed to do.

Now the problem is that the mother & father of the groom might not be there…but as I have two sets of parents I’m sure one set would step in and fill that hole.

R., of course, being a boy, was not quite up for hearing about my findings. I’m not usually the ‘traditional girl’…I don’t want the huge wedding, I’m quite happy to be in the back yard and I DO NOT WANT A HUGE DRESS. But somehow I really want to plan this wedding. And it’s cause I know that it’s a commitment that I will take and keep for life.

I imagine being back home in the States, with a non-denominational person doing the ceremony…R. wearing the traditional garb as well as me in a sari…sorta like these:

I think it’d be cool.